The Case of the Missing Chihuahua
by kaleen1212
Summary: Someone leaves a small Chihuahua dog on Perry Mason's door step, along with Five thousand dollars. Perry, Della and Paul Drake must find out who owns the dog in order to know who his client is. When a murder is committed, Perry must find out what the dog has to do with the murder in order to save his client.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I do not own the Perry Mason characters. They are the creation of Erle Stanley Gardner. All other characters were created in my mind for the purpose of telling this story.**_

_**My stories follow a timeline. However, they are written so that they can stand alone. On occasion there will be references back to other stories. **_

_**Please keep in mind that I write the stories in the present rather than when the series aired on television. So please, no e-mails regarding cell phones and computers.**_

_**Lastly, I do not claim to be a lawyer or even to have any legal training. I am sure there will be many legal errors. However I find it hard to envision a Perry Mason story without courtroom scenes. Therefore I put them in, legal mistakes and all. So please take this story for what it is intended, pure entertainment. I hope you enjoy it.**_

The Case of the Missing Chihuahua

Chapter 01

1.1

The alarm went off beside Della. She untangled herself from Perry's arms and shut it off. She looked over at the sleeping lawyer and smiled. They had spent the day together. Perry had promised that they would not go to the office and he had kept his promise despite several calls from Gertie with questions and requests of assistance.

They spent the day enjoying each other and each other's company. Della had been exhausted from her ordeal, having been kidnapped by Bert Fielder. Tied up, gagged and locked in the basement of the Claymore Apartment building, she had been left there to be burned alive as a punishment to Perry Mason for clearing Seth Palmer of murder and placing the blame where it belonged... on five firemen who set fires and burnt down buildings for the owners for part of the insurance.

What Fielder did not take into consideration was the strong bond that existed between Perry and Della. Perry, with the help of Paul Drake, would not relent in his search to find her and bring her to safety. With the help of his friends and adversaries, Hamilton Burger, Lt. Arthur Tragg and Lt. Andy Anderson, they searched the burning building from top to bottom. Ultimately it was Perry and Paul who located Della and brought her out of the burning building before it collapsed but not without the help of Seth Palmer. The fireman risked his life to lead the trio out minutes before it collapsed to the ground in a huge ball of fire destroying the entire building.

Della and Perry spent the day lounging around his apartment, never getting out of their bathrobe except long enough to make love.

Della refused to allow the television on. She had no desire to watch the fire and her rescue broadcast over and over.

They sat on the couch most of the day, Perry with one arm around Della...a novel in his other hand. Della's fingers of her free hand were intertwined with his. Her other hand contained a novel of her own. Hardly a word was spoken between them. None were necessary. Occasionally one would look at the other to assure each other that they were safe and sound in each other's arms. A look, a touch or a sigh assured them both that all was once again right with their world.

Perry made dinner for them and they ate by candlelight. A fire was set in the fireplace and the couple sat in front of it to watch the flames dance around as they held each other kissing and caressing until sleep threatened to take them. They retired to the bedroom to make love until they lay exhausted in each other's arms.

The ringing of the clock ended a day and night of bliss as it was time to return to the law practice that was demanding their attention. Della let Perry sleep while she went into his bathroom, turned on the shower and stepped into the warm spray of water. One hour later she was dressed, her makeup was on and she was ready to go to work.

Della walked back into the bedroom. She looked over at Perry who was still sleeping. She smiled and watched him for a moment. She walked over the bed, sat down beside him and gently ran her fingers down his jawline. Perry stirred and opened his eyes. "You better get up. We have to be in the office in less than an hour," she said gently.

Perry reached for Della. He kissed her and said, "Why don't we take another day off?"

She smiled and returned his kiss. "You know why we don't take another day off. How many times did Gertie call here yesterday? You don't want her to quit, do you?"

Perry slid out from underneath the sheets. "No, I guess not."

"I'll make breakfast while you shower."

Perry kissed her again and headed for the bathroom. His towel, shaving cream, deodorant and cologne were all laid out for him. He showered, shaved and returned to the bedroom. The bed was made. A suit, shirt, tie, underwear and socks were set out on the bed with a pair of shoes on the floor beside them. Perry smiled, thinking about how well she took care of him. He shook his head. She forgot the cuff links. After dressing, he walked over to the dresser. Lying there was a folded note. He opened it and chuckled when he read it. 'Bet you thought I forgot the cuff links.' Under the note laid a pair of cuff links she had bought him for his birthday last May.

Perry put on the cuff links and left the bedroom. The smell of bacon and eggs invaded his nostrils as soon as he opened the bedroom door. When he walked into the kitchen, Della was at the stove preparing their breakfast. He quietly walked over and put his arms around her from behind. "What about a tie clasp?"

Della turned in his arms and his lips met hers. When they parted, Della whispered, "No one wears those things anymore." His blue eyes looked into her hazel ones. "Thank you, Perry, for yesterday. I needed that."

"We both needed that," he whispered back.

They ate breakfast in relative silence, only glancing at each other occasionally. When breakfast was over, Perry put the dishes in the sink. "They will have to be done later." He took Della's hand and they both left for the office.

1.2

Perry and Della walked into the office at eight o'clock. Gertie was busy handling the phones with one hand and taking notes with that same hand. Della looked at Perry who was staring at Gertie. In her other hand, she was holding a small dog.

When the dog noticed Perry and Della, it started barking at them. Gertie finally hung up the phone which had stopped ringing. The look of panic left her face. "Boy, am I glad to see you two. This office has become a madhouse."

"Apparently, it has also become a kennel," Perry said.

"What?" Gertie looked down to the small dog in her arms. "Oh, I forgot all about him."

"Just who is he?" asked Della.

Gertie grinned at both of them. "He is a prospective client. His name is Chico."

"Has business declined that much we have to take on a dog for a client?" Perry asked, turning his attention to Della.

Della smiled. Business was booming and she knew Perry was kidding. "That is what you get for taking a day off."

"How did the dog get in here?" Della asked Gertie.

"I was answering the phone and I heard barking at the door. I went out to investigate and this little guy was sitting in a basket at the door. There was a note with him." She handed it to Della.

'Please take care of my Chihuahua. He is in grave danger. I will explain shortly. Under his blanket is a retainer. His name is Chico.'

"It is not signed, Perry." Della handed the note to him.

Perry re-read the note and turned it over. Della was correct. It was not signed and there was nothing written on the back. "Check the basket, Della."

Gertie handed the basket to Della who promptly pulled the blanket out. Sure enough there was an envelope at the bottom. She took the envelope out, unsealed it and pulled out a handful of hundred dollar bills. She counted them and announced, "My gosh, there is five thousand dollars here!"

"I take back what I said. Maybe I should've been defending dogs all along," Perry said with a smirk.

"He's adorable," Della said as she took the dog out of Gertie's arms. Chico licked Della's chin and waged his tail. "Now just what kind of danger could you'll be in, little fella?"

"Grave danger, apparently," Perry said. "Who would want to harm a poor little defenseless Chihuahua?"

"I don't know but someone or something must be or he wouldn't be here," Della replied.

"It is probably the government that is after him," Perry mused. When Della gave him a questioning look, he said, "Well, Chihuahuas are from Mexico, are they not? He is probably an illegal immigrant." He grinned.

Della could not help but laugh at him despite rolling her eyes at his attempt at humor. "What are we going to do with him?"

Perry looked at Gertie. When she realized the boss was staring at her and why, she shook her head. "No way, Mr. Mason. I have three cats. They would not get along with Chico."

Perry said, "Well, Della, it looks like it's up to you. You have always said you wanted a child someday."

"Perry, I never said that and Chico hardly qualifies as a child."

"You can practice your motherly instincts. Someone has to take care of him until we find out what is going on."

"Why not you?" Della asked.

"Have you looked at the size of that dog and the size of me? One wrong move on Chico's part, I could step on him and squash him like a bug."

Della chuckled. "You have a point, Counselor. Alright, I will look after him. Gertie, can you find a clean ashtray to put some water in for our guest?"

"A clean ashtray around here?" Gertie raised her eyebrows. "Alright, I'll find a dirty one and wash it."

Perry grinned. "Della, bring our new client into the office. By the way, do you speak Spanish?"

Della shook her head and smiled. At least the dog had helped bring back their sense of humor. She carried Chico into Perry's office and sat down. Chico got in her face and started licking her with his tail wagging. When Della would push him back, he only got right back in her face again.

After watching Della push the little dog away from her several times, Perry started snickering. "You've done it again, Della."

She pushed Chico away once more and asked, "Done what?"

"You've made some poor male fall in love with you."

She smiled and used her arm to push Chico back again. The Chihuahua hooked his front legs around her arm and began humping it.

Perry broke out in laughter. "I have those same thoughts all the time, Chico."

Della got up and handed the dog to Perry. Chico grabbed his tie and started jerking it back and forth. "Stop it, Chico! Are you trying to strangle me?" Perry scolded the little dog.

"Ah huh, I have those same thoughts all the time, Chico," Della said with a twinkle in her eyes and a smile on her lips.

Perry got out of his chair and walked around to the front of his desk. He sat down on the edge of it. "I'll tell you what, little man. You can get down and investigate." He reached down and set the Chihuahua on the floor. "Della, would you give Paul a call and ask him to come to the office?"

Della walked over to the desk. Just as she reached it, Chico lifted his leg and relieved himself on Perry's shoe. When she saw the shocked look on his face, she burst into laughter. "I think Chico just marked his territory. You belong to him now." She could barely contain her laughter as she grabbed a tissue and handed it to Perry. "Look on the bright side. He likes you."

"So he pees on me?" Perry questioned. "I don't pee on people I like!

"You are not a dog," she said between fits of laughter.

"You better get Paul in here before I turn this dog over to immigration."

Della tried to get control of herself as she picked up the phone and dialed Paul's office. "Could you ask Mr. Drake to stop in Mr. Mason's office? Thank you." She turned to Perry and said, "Paul will be right down." She started laughing again and Perry could not resist. He began laughing with her.

Paul's code knock sounded on the door. Della went to the door and let him in. "Hello, beautiful! Hi, Perry. What's up?" He went over to his favorite armchair and sat sideways and threw his leg up over the arm. Chico jumped into his lap. He immediately got into Paul's face and started licking him. "Hey, I think he likes me."

"In that case," Perry said, "I would get him out of my face." Della started laughing again.

"What's the joke? Am I missing something?" Drake asked.

"It is not important," Perry said. He handed him the note that had been left with Chico. "Here, read this."

Drake read the note and then turned it over. "Is that it? Nothing else was left?"

"Just the envelope with five thousand dollars in it," Della said.

"And I take it you have no idea who left the dog and the money?" Paul surmised.

"That's right," Perry said.

"And you want me to find out who owns this mutt?" Paul gathered.

"That's the only way I'm going to find out who my client is," Perry said.

"I don't suppose you know why the dog is in danger?" Paul asked.

"I don't know any more than you see written in that note," Perry answered.

"I wonder why she left it unsigned," Paul said.

"How do you know it was a she?" Della inquired.

"Come on, Della. Do you really believe a man would own a dog that small?" Paul asked.

"Do you really believe that every Chihuahua in the world is owned by a woman?" Della returned.

"I don't think we can assume anything, Paul," Mason said. "Let's just find out who owns this dog."

"What's the matter, pal? Are you afraid you are going to get stuck with him?"

"I can't get stuck with him. I don't own enough shoes."

"What?" Paul asked confused.

Perry and Della just looked at each other and smiled. "Just find out who owns the dog, Paul," Perry told him.

"Alright, where do you want me to start?"

"Check with others in the building. See if anyone saw someone bring that dog in. Check with the veterinarians in the area. Maybe one of them knows who owns the dog. He has to receive medical treatment somewhere."

"Anything else?"

"No, that'll get you started."

"Alright, if I find out anything, where can I reach you?"

"I'm going to take the dog to the closest veterinarian," answered Perry. "I understand that sometimes dogs are tattooed or a chip is placed underneath the skin. He does not seem to have a tattoo but if he does have a chip under his skin, we might be able to find out immediately who owns him."

Paul stood up and headed for the door. "I'll call as soon as I have something." He opened the door and left the room.

"Della, do we have any appointments this morning?"

"Nothing until this afternoon," Della answered.

"Good, then call the nearest veterinarian and make an appointment for Chico, will you please?"

Dell opened the drawer on Perry's desk. She pulled out a phone book and opened the yellow pages to veterinarians.

1.3

Florence Monroe hoped she had done the right thing. She knew that Mason had an excellent reputation as a lawyer. However, she knew that he was basically a criminal attorney. She was sure that he would not accept her case if he knew what it was about. She felt that five thousand dollars might be a pretty good incentive for him to do so. She just had to get Chico in someone's hands that would protect him. Florence was confident that Perry Mason and would do exactly that.

She regretted the day that she ever got involved with Alex Burke. Why had she helped him? What was even worse was that she had become extremely attached to the little fellow. If she had known what Burke was involved in, she never would've had anything to do with it. But it was too late for that now. Her prime concern had to be Chico. She had to protect him.

It would take Mason awhile to track her down. That should give her the time she needed to figure out what she was going to do.

There was a knock on the door. Florence walked over to the door and peaked through the blinds. It was Alex. She could not remember whether or not she had locked the front door. She prayed that she had. Florence simply could not let him in. She was not ready to talk to him. She did not have everything figured out yet.

"Come on, Florence, open the door. I know you are in there!" Alex yelled. "Chico is mine and I want him. Open the damn door!"

Florence held her breath. Apparently she had locked the door. Alex continued to pound on the door. Florence gave him no indication that she was there.

"If you don't open this damn door, you are going to regret it. You are going to turn that dog over to me! I have plans for him! I paid you and now it is time for you to live up to your end of the bargain!"

Florence reached into the drawer of the cupboard where she kept a gun. She pulled out the .22. She checked to see if it was loaded. It was. Florence waited.

1.4

Alex Burke quit pounding on the door. Maybe she wasn't home after all. He had to get his hands on the dog. He was worth over fifty thousand dollars to him. But he wasn't worth a cent unless he could get a hold of him. Damn that stupid woman! It was just a dog. He should've known from the beginning that she would be nothing but trouble.

He had been working the scheme for a while. So far it had netted him over a hundred thousand dollars. But this time it would be more money than he ever made before. He had to get the dog. He would kill the old lady if he had to. He wanted that dog.

Alex got back into his car and drove back to his hotel room. When he arrived, Nick Luther was sitting in a chair in his room waiting for him. "Did you get the dog?"

"No, the old lady wasn't home."

"The old lady doesn't have the dog," said Nick.

"Do you mean the dog is missing? How the hell would you know that?"

"I followed her this morning. She left the dog at a lawyer's office." Nick lit up a cigarette.

"You mean she dropped it off at a lawyer's office? What lawyer?"

"The lawyer's name is Perry Mason."

"You mean THE Perry Mason?"

"Do you know of another lawyer by the name of Perry Mason?" Nick snarled.

"Well that's just great! How the hell are we going to get the dog away from Mason?"

"That part is easy. You simply go see Mason. After all, you co-own the dog. Make up some story. But you get that dog back."

"Mason is not stupid, you know. He will see through any lie," Alex said.

"Then I suggest you be a very convincing liar. That dog better be back in your hands within the next twenty-four hours. He is supposed to be on a plane and headed for Japan. If I lose out on this deal you are going to regret it."

"Now, just a minute. The deal means just as much to me as it does to you. I stand to lose just as much money as you do. I'll get the dog. Don't worry about it."

"I'm not the one that should be worried, Alex. You are. When you said you could set this up, I took your word for it. I don't accept failure. You remember that. You have twenty-four hours. Don't disappoint me, Alex." Nick got up and left the motel room.

Alex would have to think about how he handled Mason. He would take the approach as the co-owner. But if that didn't work then he would just have to take the dog from Mason by force.


	2. Chapter 2

The Case of the Missing Chihuahua

Chapter 02

2.1

Paul Drake approached Charlie, the janitor in the building. "Hi Charlie, how's it going?"

"Oh, Mr. Drake, I didn't see you. You startled me." Charlie stopped mopping the floor and turned his attention to Paul Drake. "Is there something you need?"

"Just some information. Did you by any chance see someone bring a small dog into the building? By small, I mean a Chihuahua."

"Gee, Mr. Drake, I been rather busy this morning. I can't say that I did."

"Did you see anybody hanging around Mason's door?"

Charlie scratched his head. "Well, I can't say she was hanging around his door but there was a woman who knocked on the door. It was before Mr. Mason's office opened."

"Can you describe her?"

"A blonde … a good-looking woman. No, I would have to say a beautiful woman. She was tall, about five foot six, maybe five foot seven. Late thirties, early forties. She had a basket in her hand."

"And you didn't see a dog?" Paul asked.

"No. I don't remember seeing a dog," Charlie answered. "Hey, what's this all about?"

"Nothing you need to worry about, Charlie. Thanks for your help." Without giving Charlie a chance to say anything else, Paul turned and walked away.

2.2

"There it is! On the right." Della pointed to the Los Angeles County Veterinary Clinic. Perry turned the Cadillac at the corner to the right. He pulled into the parking lot and parked the car.

"Let's go see if this little guy has a chip inside him." Mason got out of the car and walked around to the passenger side. He opened the door, took Della by the elbow and helped her and Chico out of the car. Together they walked up to the door of the veterinary clinic.

Perry opened the door and Della walked in ahead of him. The waiting room was full with dogs of all sizes. Perry walked over to the counter. He smiled at the lady behind the counter and said, "My name is Perry Mason. I have an appointment to have the doctor check the Chihuahua over there."

"I thought I recognized you, Mr. Mason. Have a seat. You will be called as soon as possible."

Perry went back and stood beside Della. "What good does it do to make an appointment if you have to wait through all these people?"

"If you would like, I can stay here with Chico and you can go back to the office. I can take a cab from here," Della offered.

"No, I'll stay with you," Perry said. As he went to sit down beside Della, the dog next to him leaped on him. Mason's back was turned and he did not see the dog come at him. He lost his balance and fell into the wall.

"I am sorry, sir. I am having trouble training him not to jump on people."

"It is quite alright," Perry said with a smile.

"You are Perry Mason, the famous attorney!"

"The one and only," he answered.

"Is that your Chihuahua? I would have thought a man your size would prefer a larger dog."

"He is not my dog actually."

"Of, he's your secretary's dog. That makes more sense. You are not going to sue me, are you?" she asked him, glancing down at her Golden Retriever.

"What? No, of course not," Mason said. He suppressed a laugh when the woman breathed a sigh of relief.

The door leading into the treatment rooms opened. "Chico Mason?" the young lady called out.

Della chuckled. "I think they are calling your dog, Mr. Mason."

"They could have given him your last name. Come on, Della, let's see if we can find out who owns this dog."

Della got up and followed Perry through the doors. The vet technician led them down the hall and into a treatment room.

Della put Chico on the examination table. His tail was wagging and he was barking at every little noise. "You certainly are a noisy fellow," Della told him while scratching his back to the little dog's delight. Perry smiled. Della always had a gentle touch. It made no difference whether she was dealing with a client, a dog or him for that matter. She was just a gentle human being.

After waiting fifteen minutes, the door finally opened and a man dressed in medical garb entered the room. "Hello, Mr. Mason. I am Doctor Webb. I have been following your cases for a long time. It is indeed an honor to have you here in my clinic. What made you choose my practice?"

"You were the closest one to the Brent building." Mason smiled. He noticed the look of disappointment on the veterinarian's face. "I do not own a pet so I do not usually have to use your kind of services."

The vet displayed a confused look. "Then this is Miss Street's dog?"

"No, he isn't mine either," Della responded.

"I don't understand. If neither of you own this dog then…"

"We are working for a client," Perry told the man.

"Oh, then who will be responsible for the bill?"

"I will take care of the bill, Doctor Webb," Perry assured him.

Relief flooded his features. "In that case, who is my patient and what is…" he glanced down to check the dog's gender, "… his problem?"

"His name is Chico and as far as we know there is nothing wrong with him," Della answered.

"You will have to forgive this question but then why is he here?" Doctor Webb asked.

"It is my understanding," Perry began, "that dogs can be tattooed or have a chip placed in them to identify who they belong to. Is that correct?"

"Yes, that is correct, Mr. Mason. Why?"

"Because we would like to find out who owns this dog," Mason said, giving no further explanation.

The confused look returned to the doctor's face. "But, I thought you said he belonged to your client."

"No, I said we were working for a client," Perry corrected.

"But, I don't understand…"

"Please Doctor, I would just like the dog checked for a microchip. He does not have any tattoos that we can find so I would like to know if someone has placed a microchip in the dog." Perry smiled at the doctor.

Doctor Webb looked from Perry to Della and back to Perry before he shook his head and said, "I see. You are working for a client and you cannot tell me anything about this case." Perry smiled and nodded his head once. "Well, I guess since the dog is in your care, it is alright. Excuse me while I get the instrument that can check for a chip." The doctor disappeared through the door which led back into the private section of the clinic.

Della looked at Perry and smiled. When he noticed she was smiling at him, he said, "What?"

"Sometimes I think you enjoy confusing people."

Mason grinned at his secretary. "It can be fun at times watching people trying to figure out what I am up to."

The door reopened and Doctor Webb returned, carrying a scanner of some sort. He approached Chico and said, "Please understand this will only read a chip made by this company." He pointed to the company name on the scanner. Chico wagged his tail happily as the doctor scanned the back of his neck. He reached in a drawer of a nearby counter and wrote down something. When he was finished, he handed the paper to Perry Mason. "Will there be anything else?"

Mason looked at the paper the doctor had just given him, smiled again and said, "No, that is quite sufficient. How much do I owe you?"

"See the receptionist. Your bill will be placed in the computer system. Thank you, Mr. Mason, for adding a little intrigue to my day. However, I will forever wonder just why you want to know who owns a dog that you have in your possession for a client. If I had not watched your cases so closely, I would think you had no idea who owned that dog before you came in here, which of course makes no sense. Good day, sir." He offered his hand to Mason who shook it and then turned to Della, nodded and said, "Miss Street." Doctor Webber disappeared once more.

Perry and Della left the examination room and headed for the receptionist. She already had his bill ready when they approached the desk. "That will be thirty dollars for the doctor and twenty five for the scan."

Perry reached in his wallet and pulled out a fifty dollar bill along with a five. He handed it to the receptionist. "May I have a receipt, please?"

"Of course, Mr. Mason. Here is a copy of the bill." She handed him the bill and smiled.

"Thank you," Mason said, returning the smile. He took Della's elbow and led her outside to the Cadillac. Perry opened the passenger door and waited for Della to slide inside. Once she had, he closed the door and went around to the driver's side, opened the car door and sat down behind the wheel.

"Well, who is our client?" Della asked.

"I don't know yet," he answered her.

"But, I saw him give you an address."

"He gave me an address but it doesn't necessarily mean that this person is our client. It only means that she owned or possessed the dog at one time." He handed the address to Della.

She looked at the name _Karen Wilkens, 2135 North Maywood, Maywood, New Jersey. _"Good grief, Perry. This woman lives on the other side of the country."

"And likely is not the same person who left the dog at my office door," Mason said.

"Why do you say that?"

"Did you look at the basket Chico was in?" he asked her.

"Well… no, other than glancing at it, that is," Della responded.

"It had a tag on it. It was made and sold at the LA County Pet Store," Mason informed her.

"That might mean it was only bought there, Perry. Someone visiting from New Jersey could have purchased it here."

Mason shook his head. "No, I don't think so. That was not a brand new basket. It looked as if a bored little Chihuahua chewed on it. I am betting that our client and the owner are two different people."

"Then what would the lady here in Los Angeles be doing with the dog?"

"When we find out the answer to that question, we will have gone a long way to solving this mystery and finding our client." Perry started the car, backed up and left the parking lot.

"Where are we going now?" Della asked but answered herself before Perry had a chance. "The LA County Pet Store."

Mason grinned. "Paul would be proud of you."

2.3

Paul got back into his sports car. He picked up the phone and dialed Perry Mason's cell phone. He did not have long to wait for an answer.

"Mason," Perry barked into the phone.

"Perry, no one seems to know who the woman was that left the little mutt on your doorstep. I did get a description of her from several people and they all agree she was a looker. We got a break, one of them, a Beverly Stewart, saw her leave in a Chevrolet Impala. She did not get a license number but she was positive that it was a California plate." Drake described the woman to Mason. "How did you make out at the vet's?"

"Chico had a microchip." He gave Drake the name and address of the woman that were on the chip.

"Did you contact her?" Drake asked.

"No. I don't think that she and the woman that dropped off Chico are the same. The owner could very well be the woman in New Jersey but I can't turn the dog over to her until I talk to Karen Wilkens. For all we know, Wilkens could have sold the dog to our client. Paul, check out this Karen Wilkens. Find out everything you can about her and get back to me."

"Alright, Perry. What about the blonde?"

"Find her, Paul. I have to talk to her."

"How many men can I assign to this?" Drake asked.

"Whatever it takes. I want the blonde found," Mason directed.

"Alright, I'll call as soon as I have something." Drake hung up the phone.

"Let's get some lunch, Della. I'm starving."

2.4

Alex Burke knocked on the door of Victoria Collins. When she opened the door, Burke shoved his way past her. "How's the mutt?"

"Red is just fine. When do I get my money for taking care of him?" she asked.

"As soon as the wire comes in from Japan. You can wait that long, can't you? "

"Alex..."

"Oh, for crying out loud! Are you going to start on me again? We slept together. Had a few laughs. Why do you insist on making it more than it was?"

"I didn't until you told me you loved me." Vicki followed him into her living-room.

"And I told you that was nothing but pillow talk. Why can't you just let it go?"

"Because you got me involved in this dog-stealing scheme, that is why. I would not have helped you if you had not told me we would be together." Vicki was showing signs of losing her temper. "And now I find out you not only lied about that but you have been lying about how much money you are receiving for these dogs."

Alex jerked his head towards her. "What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded.

"I don't know how you are doing it but I do know you are getting a lot more money than you told me."

"It doesn't make any difference how much money I am getting. You are being paid. You agreed to that sum. I don't want to hear anymore bellyaching."

"Supposing you tell me how you can collect so much money for these dogs? There simply isn't any kind of demand for any of these dogs that would bring in as much money as you're raking in."

"You worry about taking care of the mangy mutts. I'll take care of the money end. You have not once been cheated. You have received the money promised," Alex spewed.

"I take all the chances keeping the dogs. You collect all the money. If I get caught with the dogs, you simply deny any involvement and I am holding the bag."

"Actually, you are holding the dog," he said with a smirk.

She stared at him for a moment. "I want more money, Alex. And before you say no, tell me, does Nick Luther know that you have been upping the price to the Japanese and then collecting the difference?"

Alex made a swift move to Vicky. He grabbed her by the throat. "How do you know all this?"

"Stop it! I can't breathe." Vicky struggled to loosen the grip he had on her throat. "Let go!" She gasped for breath before he finally let her go.

"Don't ever do that again, Alex! I will go to Luther! I swear I will!"

"If you go to Luther, I'll make sure he believes you stole the money and not me," he said in a deadly calm voice.

"No, you won't. Remember the cute little waitress you raped a couple months back because she was going to turn you in? Well, it just so happens that I have it on video. I recorded it on my cell phone. You didn't even know I was there, did you? I can tell by the shocked look on your face. Let me enlighten you as to what the police will receive if you don't do as I asked."

Alex pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. "Do you mean this video?" He pressed a few times on the screen and the alleged rape of the waitress was on the phone's screen. He smiled with menace. "She was willing, just ask her."

"Where did you get that?" she cried. "And what did you do to her to get her to say she was willing?"

"You talk in your sleep, do you know that?" Alex asked. "You don't have that video any longer but I want to thank you for telling me all about it." He grabbed her arm and pulled her against him. "Now let me tell you something. Remember how we met? It was when I worked for the auditing company. I altered the books to make it look like you embezzled fifty thousand dollars. You didn't of course but I did. However, I covered my tracks so well, all roads lead to you. It would be easy to point them in the right direction. They will never find it unless I show it to them. I made it look like it was part of the expenses but if they are tipped off where to look, it will point right to you."

"You bastard! I should never have gotten involved with you!"

"Isn't hindsight wonderful?" he snarled back at her.

In a voice just as calm as possible, she said, "I will kill you if you try it, Alex."

He turned and looked at her. "Good luck with that. Now what will it be? Are you going to take care of the mutts and keep your mouth shut?"

"You haven't given me a choice for now, have you?" Vicky asked.

"For now and forever. By the way, you will be doing it for half the money you were getting. That is your punishment for giving me trouble. Now, how about putting out?"

"Not a chance, Burke."

Alex grabbed her by the hair. "Oh, I would say the odds are in my favor as long as I can tie you to the embezzlement." He yanked her toward the bedroom.


	3. Chapter 3

The Case of the Missing Chihuahua

Chapter 03

3.1

Perry pulled his Cadillac in front of the Los Angeles Pet Store. He got out and went around to the passenger side of the car. After opening the door, he looked at Della holding Chico. "What do we do with the dog? I don't want to leave him in the car alone."

Della smiled. "It's a pet store, Perry. We take him in with us." She got out of the car with Chico in her arms. Mason took her by the elbow and escorted her into the pet store.

Perry looked around. There were several people in the store with dogs. As Perry and Della moved through the store, he noticed a woman with a Doberman. She stopped at several bins where there were rawhide bones of all sizes. The Doberman reached into one of the bins and grabbed a rather large one. The owner struggled with the dog in a tug of war. "Give it back, Bowser! You already have six of them at home." The Doberman stubbornly held onto the bone in his strong jaws. The owner gave up the struggle and the dog proudly pranced away with his prize.

Della watched as owner and dog walked away. "Maybe we should get Chico some toys. It might help him feel more at home."

"He has not had any trouble that I can detect," Perry said.

"But he has nothing to play with, Perry..."

Perry sighed. "Buy him a bone."

"What about some treats?" Della added.

"Della, we are here to track down a client," he reminded her.

"Getting a few things for Chico is no going to take that much time," she argued.

Perry smiled but did not let Della see it. It did not matter whether it was a dog or a person, she was full of compassion for anything or anyone in trouble. "Pick up whatever you think he needs."

"Well, he needs food." Perry reached for a bag of dog food. Della tapped his hand. "Not that one. The kibble is too big. Chico needs a very small kibble." She reached for a brand that was marked small kibble. "Pro-Plan," she said smiling. "That is what a lot of the show people feed." Della handed the bag to Perry.

"Show people?"

"You know. The people who take their dogs to dog shows," she told him.

Perry stopped in the middle of the isle. "What did you say?"

"I said the people who show dogs," she repeated.

Mason grinned. "Della, you are a genius!"

"I am? What did I say that made me a genius?"

"Would you say that Chico is a rather handsome Chihuahua?" Perry asked her.

"Well, I am no dog show judge but he is rather beautiful," she responded.

"Beautiful enough to be a show dog?" Perry asked.

Della shrugged. "I don't know. I am no expert on dogs and neither are you. So why do you think he might be a show dog?"

"It would make more sense. Let's for the sake of argument say that he is a show dog. Not just any show dog but a big-winning show dog. He would be worth a lot of money, wouldn't he?"

Della saw where Perry was taking this. "You think he was stolen from the owner in New Jersey?"

"It is at least a possibility, Della. One I think Paul will answer for us when he checks the woman on Chico's microchip."

"Perry, the dog beds are over there." Della pointed down the aisle. Perry followed Della and Chico across the intersection to the shelves that contained the beds.

Perry looked through them until he found the bed identical to the one Chico had been found in outside his office door. "The basket does not appear to be included with the bed."

"But it is the same one that was found in his basket," Della observed.

"Yes, it appears to be the same one," Mason agreed. He pulled the bed off the shelf. "Come on, Della, let's see if we can find out who bought that bed."

Della followed Perry to the service desk. The girl behind the counter smiled when he approached. "Very good choice for your Chihuahua, Mr. Mason."

"Do we know each other?" Mason asked.

"No, sir. But, I have been following your cases for some time now. I must say you are even more handsome in person."

Perry smiled. "Thank you. I was wondering if you could help me."

"Are you on a case?" she asked excitedly.

"Why, yes." He smiled at her again.

"Then I would be happy to help you solve it. What can I do for you?"

"I need to know who bought one of these beds and when."

"Do you have the number from the tag on the bed?"

Perry reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a paper on which he had recorded the number from the bed. He handed it to the young woman and smiled.

She took it from him and went to the computer. After punching in the numbers and waiting for the screen to return, she said, "This one was purchased six months ago by Alex Burke."

She ran off a copy of the sales receipt and gave it to Mason.

Perry smiled at her again and said, "Thank you for your help. You have helped us immensely with this."

She grinned widely and watched him walk away. Before Della could join him, she stopped her and inquired, "Is he married?"

Della suppressed a smile. "No, but he is spoken for."

"Oh, that's too bad… I mean it is to be expected. After all he's so handsome and successful." She looked at him with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Yes, he is," Della agreed.

"That woman is so very lucky."

"Oh, I am quite sure she knows that." Della smiled again and left the counter. She hurried to catch up with Perry.

Perry looked back to see that Della had stopped and grabbed a box of treats and a couple squeaky toys. She walked up to the checkout. Perry met her there and watched the young man ring up the order. He was staring at Della and then noticed the dog in her arms. "Well, hi there, Chico. How are you doing, little fella?"

Perry looked over at Della who returned the look. "You know this dog?" he asked.

"Oh, sure. Miss Monroe brings him in here all the time. You must be dog sitting."

"Well, we…" Della began before Perry interrupted her.

"We are supposed to take him back to her but she did not tell us where." Mason told the clerk.

The cashier's look turned to one of suspicion. "You are taking care of her dog and you don't even know where she lives?"

This time Della interrupted Perry. "Of course we have her address but she did not tell us how to get there." Della smiled at the young man and ran her tongue across her lower lip.

Perry watched as the cashier stared at Della. The young man looked at her and then his eyes traveled down and then back up again. "Well… I guess… it is hard to find. You will have to take Canyon Road to the fork. Go to the right when you reach the fork. She is down that road."

Della glanced at Perry. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly. "Thank you. That should help us a great deal." He paid the man for Chico's new belongings and took Della by the elbow. With his other hand, he picked up the purchases and led her and Chico out of the pet store.

"Very smooth, Miss Street," he said after they got into his Cadillac.

"What about you and the girl at the service desk, Mr. Mason?"

"I didn't lick my lips." Perry grinned. "I got what I needed without using my masculine charm. You used your womanly wiles on that poor boy."

"Come now, Perry. The charm was oozing from you!"

Perry laughed. "Okay, we both turned on the charm but you can't argue with results and… you are forgiven." He grinned again. "But reserve the lip licking for me only."

"And you are forgiven as well." Della pursed her lips. "And you reserve the charm for me only," she said with a smile. "We have to find a phone book and see if there is a Monroe listed in the area of Canyon Road."

"Let's drop Chico off with Gertie and grab some lunch at Clays," Perry suggested. "We can check while we are there." He started the car and pulled into the street.

3.2

Alex Burke checked the front door of Travis Blair's home. He became impatient when it remained unanswered. Alex went around the house and tried the back door. '_Stupid jerk… thinks he can avoid me!' _Heopened the door and went in. He moved quietly through the house. When he reached the living room, he saw Blair standing at the front door, carefully lifting the blind a crack to check outside.

"Looking for me, Travis?"

Blair jumped and turned toward Burke. "Alex, you startled me."

"I wouldn't have had to if you answered the door. You are not trying to avoid me, are you?"

"Alex, of course not… why would I do that?"

"Oh, I don't know. I would think that you would not since I would kill you if you tried to double cross me."

"I'm not trying to double cross you." Travis went over and sat down on the couch. "I want out, Alex. I can't do this anymore."

"I'll tell you when you can't do it anymore. Until then you will do as you are told. You have a flight to Tampa, Florida. There is a German Shepherd I want picked up. The broker said he can sell him for seventy-five thousand dollars. There are several potential buyers around the world that want him."

"No! I can't do it!"

Burke moved swiftly to Travis Blair. He grabbed him by the throat and pulled him off the couch. "You will do as you are told to do. You see, my friend, I got a credit card in your name. All of your flights and motels have been charged to that card. Remember those papers I had you sign? The ones you signed when I made sure you were plenty distracted with other things? That was the application for the card. So if the signature is checked, it will be verified as genuine. That ties you to every one of those prize mutts. You are going to go to jail for a very long time if I point the police in the right direction. You will take the rap all by yourself, buddy boy."

"You son of a bitch! You can't get away with this. I'll finger you, Burke!"

"Go ahead and try. I made sure I can't be tied to any of it. You will just come off sounding like a man desperately trying to save his hide. It will take more than pointing a finger at me because there will be nothing else."

Blair slid downward. "You bastard! What do you want from me?"

"I told you. Go to Florida and pick up the mutt."

"This is the last time, Alex."

Burke tightened his grip on Travis' throat. "I told you, I will decide when you are done, not you. Now get moving. Your plane leaves at midnight."

3.3

Della leafed through the phone book. She checked down the list of Monroes. As her finger trailed the names, Perry attempted to call Paul. He left a message for him to call.

Della stopped at one of the names. "Perry, where is Circle Run Road?"

Perry perked up. "That is the fork in the road the cashier was talking about. Who lives on it?"

"Florence Monroe, 2672 Circle Run Rd. That must be it!"

"Della, we'll stop by the office. Re-schedule my appointments. We are going to see Miss Monroe."

3.4

_Keeping all these idiots in line was a pain in the ass, _Alex thought. _If it looked like it was going to be tough, they curled up into the fetal position. _He grinned when he thought of how he made sure all of them stayed in line. He had planned it all so beautifully! Now, just two more things to do today. It was time he put Nick Luther in his place. A small-time mafia hood did not scare him. Why, he had been thrown out of the organization and yet he still acted like a big shot. He was about to find out who really was running this operation and it wasn't Nick Luther. The man was a moron. No wonder he got run out of the business. Alex was going to work his way in. The mafia was where he belonged.

Alex walked into Luther's office. "Is he in?" he asked Luther's secretary.

"Yes, but he is not seeing anyone," she told him.

"He'll see me," Burke said and pushed his way past the secretary. He opened Luther's door and walked in.

Luther stood up. "Who the hell do you think you are? Get the hell out of my office, Burke!"

"Oh, I don't think so, Luther. You have been pushing me around for some time now and it comes to an end right now."

"Why, you little punk! I'll break you in two!" He took a step toward Burke.

"I don't think so. You and I need to get a few things straight. Don't bother to threaten me, Luther. If anything happens to me, the Delanos are going to receive a package. You were kicked out of the organization, Luther. You convinced them you did not steal from them but they kicked you out because you allowed it to be taken right from under your nose. You still have no idea where the money went, do you, Luther?"

"What? How did you know about this?" Luther said, stunned.

"It is simple. I want to break into the organization. I had been watching you for a while. You really are not cut out to be a wise guy. You don't have the brains for it. You allowed me to steal the money when your back was turned."

"You took the money?"

"That's right, Luther, but it can't be traced to me. It is in a safety deposit box that is in your name."

"Where? What bank?" Luther roared.

"What do you take me for? ... a fool? I am not about to tell you where the money is. But I'll tell you what I will do. I will be happy to tell Frank Delano where the money is. Would you like me to do that, Nicky?"

"You son of a bitch!" Luther screamed.

"Calm down, Nicky... You are going to give yourself a coronary. Here is what we are going to do. I have several more mutts to pick up. You are not getting one red cent. I am making sure that every penny that I take out of that money that is sitting in the safety deposit bank is tied to you. I won't bother to go into detail but as you already know, I am quite resourceful. You are going to get out of Los Angeles. This is my town and I plan to build an empire here. I will then turn it over to the Delanos and they will own another town. That should cement my place in the organization. You're small time, Nicky, but I am going places."

"You fool. You think you are going to impress the Delanos stealing dogs and selling them to a broker overseas? That is small-time compared to what they are into. And do you really think they are not already into everything in this city? You really are a fool."

"I am not the one that got set up. The Delanos will kill you if they find out where that money is. Now what will it be?"

"How do I know you are telling the truth?"

Alex laughed. "Does it matter? Can you afford not to listen to me? Just how do I know as much as I do? I'll tell you what. I'll give you a little tidbit. The case you put that money in had initials on the inside. FOD… Frank Oliver Delano."

Nick Luther's face turned pale. He returned to his seat. "What do you want?"

"I told you, get out. I have plans well beyond the… small-time mutt-stealing ring. It will only provide the money to get me started. I have five hundred kilos of heroin that will be bought with that money. After that, I will be on my way for a place in the organization. Just be happy I decided to let you live. Now if you will excuse me, I have one more appointment today." Alex Burke left the office.

Luther just sat at his desk. He had underestimated Alex Burke. He had to do something about him or his climb back into the organization was finished.

3.5

The phone rang in Perry Mason's office. Della picked up the phone. "Mr. Mason's office."

"Miss Street, this is Alex Burke. I would like an appointment to see Mr. Mason as soon as possible."

The name struck an immediate bell. "One moment, Mr. Burke." Della placed him on hold and went into Perry's office. "Perry, I just got a call. I think you should see this man."

"Della, have you forgotten already? We are going out to see who I believe is our client."

"I have not forgotten but I think you need to see this man. His name…"

"Della, we don't have time. I want to get out to Florence Monroe's house."

"Then what would you like me to tell Alex Burke?" Della said quietly.

Perry jerked his head up immediately. "Alex Burke?"

"Yes, Chief. That is what I said. So what do you want me to tell him?"

"Tell him to come to the office immediately," Perry said.

Della picked up the phone and said, "Mr. Burke, Mr. Mason will see you right away… Yes, we will be here. Goodbye, Mr. Burke."

Forty-five minutes later, Alex Burke walked into Mason's office. "Miss Street, I am Alex Burke."

Della stood up from her desk. "One moment, Mr. Burke." She got up and went into Perry's private office. "Perry, Alex Burke is here."

"Show him in, Della." Perry got up and picked up Chico, then sat back down at his desk. He set the Chihuahua down on the desk. The door to his office opened and Della walked in with Alex Burke.

"Mr. Burke, this is Mr. Mason," Della said.

Burke eyed Chico and then walked over to Mason. "Mr. Mason, it is a pleasure to meet you." He offered his hand. Chico snarled and jumped into the air and bit Burke's hand.

Perry grabbed the little dog. Chico's reaction surprised both him and Della as the dog had been very friendly to everyone he had come in contact with. "I am sorry, my dog has never reacted that way before."

"Your dog?" Burke said, rubbing his hand where Chico had bitten him.

"He is for now," Mason said.

Alex Burke looked over at Della. "I would like to speak with you in private, Mr. Mason."

"You are in private, Mr. Burke. Miss Street is my confidential secretary," Perry responded.

"Just the same, I don't want a witness. I would like her to leave."

Perry smiled. "That is all the more reason why I want her to stay. She is a confidential secretary. She stays or this conversation is finished." Mason stared directly into Burke's eyes.

Burke smiled. "Alright, she stays."

"What can I do for you, Mr. Burke?"

"I am here to pick up my dog. The Chihuahua is mine."

"Your dog?" Perry said with surprise in his voice.

"That is right, Mr. Mason. I am prepared to prove it," Burke said.

"By all means, Mr. Burke. Let's see your proof." Perry looked over at Della who raised an eyebrow.

Alex reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. He handed it to Mason. "You will find his AKC papers in that envelope. He is clearly registered with the AKC in my name."

"AKC?" Della asked.

"Yes, that would be…"

"The American Kennel Club," Perry finished for him.

"Then you are familiar with the AKC?" Burke asked.

"I have heard of it," Perry said. He opened the envelope and read the certificate. "Champion Chicon's Chico of Maywood."

"Chico is a former show dog, Mr. Mason. He was sold to me by his breeder. She is from New Jersey. There is also a copy of his pedigree and the bill of sale from his breeder. Now, I have another appointment so I would like to take Chico and be on my way." Burke reached for Chico. The Chihuahua pulled back his lips, bared his teeth and snarled. The hair stood up on the back of his neck.

"Chico, come," Mason said. The little dog jumped into Mason's lap and then up on his shoulder. He licked Mason's cheek.

"Your dog doesn't seem to be very fond of you, Mr. Burke," Della observed.

"I have not had him very long. I was warned he had a temperament problem. That is why he could not be shown any longer. Now if you please, give me my dog. I have provided you with the proof."

"That's strange, Mr. Burke, since he has been very friendly with everyone he has come in contact with. Della, take the registration certificate and call the American Kennel Club. Find out whose name Chico is registered in," Mason told his secretary.

Burke stood up and snatched the papers out of Mason's hands. "I have provided you with the proof, now I want my dog, Mason."

"Quite frankly, Mr. Burke, I am not convinced that the dog is yours. I have no intention of turning him over to anyone but the person who owns him."

"You will be hearing from my lawyer, Mason," Burk said raising his voice.

"I look forward to it," Mason said raising his voice to match Burke's.

Alex Burke got up, turned his back on Perry and Della and headed to the door. He reached under his suit coat and removed the silenced gun that rested in its holster.


End file.
